Thursday, October 14, 2010

How to Remove Charge Offs From Your Credit Files

During economic down times, many consumers encounter problems with debt, and typically seek relief from this problem. While effective methods do exist to provide an available solution, more people still seem to find themselves in this particular mess. A lot of these cases are based upon charge offs reported on their credit statement; which can cause a lot of related issues. This includes problems with loan applications and any other type of loan where the credit score plays a large role.

This is one area where information can be skewed, causing a bigger problem than was originally had. But resolving this situation is in the best interest of the consumer, since almost every financial area is affected by the credit score number. Although many of the methods for credit repair can be brutal, they are effective in repairing an individual's rating. A good place to start is with credit cards, because once they are at the spending limit, it is virtually impossible to pay off the balance. This is because only the interest is being paid on every installment, and the principal is not touched. Some individuals have even resorted to paying cash for anything they could until the cards are paid off. charge offs

For those that still have some room, it is a good idea to stay within an allotted budget. By paying this back every month, the credit card companies will see this as a sign of good faith. It is a most positive step to increasing a credit score slowly. As a consequence, lenders will be more likely to view this as a constructive sign as well. It is so important to know the rules when applying for a new credit card. Some consumers don't bother to learn them at all, and are trapped in a desperate financial state. However, even the lending companies will be inclined to help if there is money to be paid back.

Often times, debtors can pay back a large sum in smaller parts. This makes it easier to solve this dilemma, and will not have a negative influence on the consumer's credit rating. It will also help to get rid of that charge off on the credit report. Lenders who see a borrower making an honest effort can be persuaded to remove this entry following the last payment installment. This is probably the best way to eliminate charge offs, and restore that good credit rating.

3 Ways to Manage Charge-Offs

Although they sound harmless, charge offs are probably one of the worst things you could have on your credit report. These records mean that you are high risk and creditors should stay clear of you because you do not pay your debts.

Having charge offs is a serious matter if you want to enjoy the privileges that come with financial credibility. charge offs can actually be avoided if you are religious in paying your bills or speaking to your creditor if you missed payments. If you have not managed to avoid these charge offs and have them on your credit report, there are actually three ways that you can manage them.

* Wait for 7 Years: all charge offs are cleared from credit reports every seven years. If you are trying to settle an old debt that has been incurred almost this long, then it would probably be best that you wait. In some states, any partial payments on old debts re-set the statute of limitations period and it would permit the creditors or collection agency to file a lawsuit against you or harass you into payment. If the debt is relatively recent then you should consider other options. You would not want to be inconvenienced for seven years with transactions that require a good credit report.
* Pay a Smaller Amount: there are cases that the creditor will accept payment of an amount that is smaller than the original amount of debt owed. Unfortunately, this option is not advised as it will only get the creditor off your back. The charge-off will now be reported as "settled" instead of "paid in full". Many banks and financial institutions consider this as bad as having a charge-off but for people who have tight budgets, this option is good enough. If you are willing to endure having "settled" on your credit report in exchange for not being harassed anymore, then this could be the option for you.
* Pay Your Old Debt in Full: the best way you can remove the charge-off record on your credit report is by paying your old debt in full. Before doing so, make sure that you have negotiated the removal of the charge-off with the creditor or collection agency. You should also consider putting everything in writing as it would be hard to demand a removal if the creditor suddenly refused to do so even after payment was made.

Once the charge-off has been successfully removed from your credit report, you will now be able to restore your financial credibility and enjoy the privileges of a good credit score. After such experience, you must make sure that you will not be in the same situation again by being more financially responsible and more pro-active.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Getting a Free Credit Score Report

In today's economy, knowing your credit score can go a long way in terms of saving you a lot of money, specially when making big purchases such as a car, a house and getting different kinds of loans. Lending money to people you don't know much about is a risky business. That is why FICO scoring system was created.
FICO scoring system allows Lenders such as credit card companies and banks to lower the risk by providing a simple way to know how trustworthy the consumer is. FICO score is simply the most fair way to determine someone's eligibility to receive a loan, because it doesn't have anything to do with sex, race, ethnicity or religion. So, its a perfect tool for financial institutions to evaluate consumers who are seeking loans.
The basic formula for calculating credit scores is based mostly on a few items, such as payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, types of credit used and recent search for credit. A FICO score runs from 300, all the way to 850. The higher the number is, the better your credit score is.
In 2003,United stats passed a law known as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. According to This law, credit reporting bureaus are required to give you one free credit report per year, if you request it. That's why there are a lot of companies out there who offer credit score reports. credit repair services Of course, your credit score will be the same, no matter what company you get it from. These companies can afford to give you free reports, because, they offer other services related to your credit, such as fraud protection, credit monitoring, credit repair and more. That's how they make their money. But, its not mandatory to subscribe to their services, in order to get your credit score. Getting your fico score is totally free.
Fico score impacts your life in a verity of ways. Knowing your credit score helps you evaluate yourself just like a bank or any other finical institutions would do, if you were trying to get a loan or what have you from them. It gives you an edge over the lender, when trying to get a loan, buy a car, buy a house or making any other big purchases. credit repair services You can make sure you are always in good standing by knowing your score. If the number is low, you can work on it and improve your score. That's why it is important to know your FICO score.

Credit Restoration Services

One of the best ways to repair your credit and finally become free from that big dark cloud of financial dread hanging over your head is to consult with credit restoration services. People who want to repair their generally have two options. They can choose to do it themselves, or seek the help of a professional credit restoration agency.
The entire goal behind seeking credit restoration services is to better an individual's credit score and restore overall good credit. Consulting with a professional agency is best for individual's who do not know where to begin. A complete evaluation of the client's current financial situation is carried out along with close analysis of how to repair their overall credit score.
The most common reason why people end up with bad credit is due to their failure to pay bills on time. Taking out loans, failure to make house payments, and failure to keep up with current debts often results in a lengthier time period in relation to repairing the consumer's overall credit score. credit repair services Many individuals can become ten's of thousand's of dollars in debt, simply by not paying their bills.
Another circumstance that causes people to seek credit restoration services is an unforeseen financial crisis caused by either a sudden loss of employment, divorce, or other similar situation. Fortunately, due to the specific type of circumstance under which these instances occur, it is usually a lot easier to obtain credit restoration. It is best to seek the help of a professional when these specific circumstances occur because the reasons for debt accumulation are usually not entirely the client's fault.
The third reason why people find the need to seek credit restoration services is because several individuals have fallen victim to identity theft, which is when someone else obtains the information of the consumer and uses it as their own. From there, purchases are made with the owner's credit card and ultimate end up unpaid and result in a lower credit score. Once the individual has gained knowledge that the theft has occurred, action should be taken immediately in order to restore their credit score.
If it is the individual themselves who at fault, professional credit restoration services are not always needed. credit repair services All debts need to be paid in full, beginning with those which are pending (in order to avoid any further items on their credit report). After paying off all current bills, the first negative item should be removed from the individual's credit report until all items have been successfully removed.
Situations in which the debt is not entirely the consumer's fault may require a more professional credit restoration approach. Depending on the amount of debt accumulation, the restoration process can take years to complete. In any event, a professional credit restoration service has the ability to develop an approach that focuses on repairing as many credit issues as possible until the client's score is fully restored and their credit is repaired.